SoundCloud Algorithm: Tricks to get your music featured in 2025
Some tips on how to crack the SoundCloud algorithm in 2025. Get featured with playlists, reposts, embeds, and targeted outreach powered by Next Sound.
3 minutes read
1. Playlists: Focus on Quantity, Not Size
SoundCloud doesn’t treat playlists the same way Spotify does. On Spotify, the quality and engagement of a playlist matter most. On SoundCloud, the key metric is how many playlists feature your track, regardless of how popular they are.
What this means for artists:
Get your track added to as many playlists as possible.
Create your own mood or genre playlists and include your track.
Reach out to fans and mutuals directly via SoundCloud messages to ask for adds.
Tip: Through Next Sound’s research packages, we can identify playlist curators within your genre who are active, trustworthy, and aligned with your career stage, saving you the guesswork of finding who to pitch.
2. Visual Embedded Player (VEP): The Hidden Algorithm Signal
One of SoundCloud’s least-known signals is its Visual Embedded Player. When your track is played through embeds on external websites, SoundCloud’s algorithm interprets that as proof of outside demand.
Why it matters:
Embedded streams carry extra algorithm weight.
Multiple site placements = stronger signal.
Great for crossover into blog traffic and online press.
Tip: Don’t just embed on your own site: submit to blogs, collectives, and online magazines that use SoundCloud players.
Next Sound uses the VEP, making it a great website to feature your track, where it will get plays through the VEP. This creates the appearance of broader demand and increases your track’s algorithmic visibility.
3. Reposts: The Oxygen of SoundCloud
Reposts remain the single most important action on SoundCloud. They’re what feed into algorithmic features like:
The Upload
Buzzing
Scenes
Related Tracks
Artist Stations
Best practices for reposts:
Swap reposts with artists in the same scene (don’t trade randomly).
Spread reposts out over several days, don’t dump them all at once.
Pair reposts with real listening activity (likes and comments) for authenticity.
Caution: Using spammy repost networks (like bots or unrelated genres) can hurt more than it helps.
4. Day and Time: Release for “The Upload”
While the time of day doesn’t directly influence SoundCloud’s algorithm, the day of the week does. This is crucial for landing on “The Upload,” a Friday playlist that highlights new music.
The strategy:
Upload on Tuesday or Wednesday.
Drive engagement (reposts, playlists, embeds) in the 48 hours before Friday.
By the time “The Upload” refreshes, your track will already be “moving.”
Aim to release in the morning or early evening for maximum listener availability.
5. High-Quality Audio: Don’t Upload MP3s
SoundCloud pushes tracks that are uploaded in lossless formats: WAV, AIFF, FLAC, or ALAC. If your track is encoded correctly, you’ll see a blue HD icon in your track settings.
Why this matters:
High-quality audio files = better algorithmic treatment.
Listeners subconsciously prefer higher-quality sound.
Avoid compressed MP3 uploads if you want full visibility.
Where Next Sound Comes In
Breaking through on SoundCloud requires a mix of algorithm triggers and human gatekeepers: playlists, blogs, DJs, and influencers who amplify your reach. That’s exactly where Next Sound’s Research Packages come in:
We research Spotify playlists, YouTube channels, blogs, influencers, DJs, and radio stations tailored to your genre, sound, and career stage. Every contact is hand-picked and trusted to help you grow your audience.
For SoundCloud artists, this means:
Getting your track onto relevant playlists faster.
Securing placements on trusted blogs.
Building repost relationships with artists and curators that matter.
Reaching DJs and tastemakers who can share your music beyond the platform.
Instead of random outreach, you’ll know exactly who to pitch to, and why they’re the right fit.
Final Takeaway
SoundCloud’s algorithm in 2025 is community-first. The more your track is embedded, reposted, and added to playlists, the more likely it is to surface in algorithmic recommendations.
By combining:
Playlist volume
Visual embedded streams
Reposts
Strategic release timing
High-quality audio
…you can maximise your chances of being discovered. And with research-driven outreach from Next Sound, you’ll have the trusted contacts to back it up.
SoundCloud rewards activity and authenticity, if you feed the system, it will feed you back.
Reach out to via the contact form or info@nextsound.net to find out more!
@DenizG
@hannes
